FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2008

FOOTBALL PLAYERS SUSPENDED

ANOTHER OFF-THE-FIELD PROBLEM FOR THE PENN STATE FOOTBALL TEAM. CHARGES ARE PENDING AGAINST A SCHOLARSHIP PLAYER WHO WAS PULLED OVER FOR D-U-I WEDNESDAY NIGHT. EARLIER THIS WEEK, POLICE BUSTED AN ON-CAMPUS PARTY AND MARIJUANA POSSESSION CHARGES ARE PENDING AGAINST 3 PLAYERS. JOE PATERNO SAYS DEFENSIVE LINEMEN MAURICE EVANS AND ABE KOROMA…ALONG WITH TIGHT END ANDREW QUARLESS…WILL NOT PLAY AGAINST OREGON STATE TOMORROW.

ACCUSED KILLER REFUSES PLEA DEAL

JURY SELECTION WAS TO BEGIN YESTERDAY FOR THE MURDER TRIAL OF ANTONIO WINKLEMAN OF JOHNSTOWN…ACCUSED OF SHOOTING SCOTT ICKES OF ELTON TO DEATH IN DECEMBER. AFTER PLEA NEGOTATIONS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, WINKLEMAN DECIDED TO GO TO TRIAL. THE DEFENSE ALSO FILED A MOTION TO HAVE A CONFESSION THROWN OUT…CLAIMING A STATE TROOPER AND DETECTIVE WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE TOOK THE STATEMENT WITHOUT PROPERLY READING WINKLEMAN HIS RIGHTS. JURY SELECTION IS NOW SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 30TH.

SIFRIT APPEAL

BENJAMIN SIFRIT…FORMERLY OF DUNCANSVILLE…IS SERVING JAIL TIME FOR THE MURDER AND DIS-MEMBERMENT OF 2 OCEAN CITY MARYLAND TOURISTS IN 2003. NOW…AFTER MANY POSTPONEMENTS…HE HAS SHIFTED HIS REQUEST FOR A NEW TRIAL FROM STATE COURT TO FEDERAL COURT. SIFRIT CLAIMS PROSECUTORS VIOLATED DUE PROCESS. HIS WIFE, ERIKA, IS DOING LIFE.

HUNG JURY IS BANK ROBBERY TRIAL

AFTER MANY HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS, A BLAIR COUNTY JURY DEADLOCKED IN THE BANK ROBBERY TRIAL OF DAVID HOUTZ. EARLIER IN THE WEEK, 2 TELLERS AT M & T BANK IN MARTINSBURG TESTIFIED THAT HOUTZ IS THE MAN WHO ROBBED THEM AT GUNPOINT NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO. AN FBI AGENT WAS EXPECTED TO TESTIFY YESTERDAY, BUT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE STAND. DWAYNE HARVEY OF ALTOONA HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FOUND NOT GUILTY. HOUTZ WILL BE RE-TRIED.

ALTOONA GUNMAN ARRESTED

ALTOONA POLICE YESTERDAY ARRESTED CORNELL SMALL OF ALTOONA FOR ALLEGEDLY FIRING GUNSHOTS INSIDE A WEST CHESTNUT AVENUE APARTMENT BUILDING AUGUST 20^TH. SMALL IS ALSO CHARGED WITH ROBBING AND PISTOL-WHIPPING A MAN THE FOLLOWING DAY. SMALL IS ALREADY SLATED TO STAND TRIAL SEPTEMBER 15^TH FOR AN APRIL BURGLARY AND HE HAS AN EXTENSIVE RECORD IN BALTIMORE. A SECOND ARREST IN THE SHOOTING IS EXPECTED.

POT GROWERS CAUGHT IN THE ACT

2 PORT MATILDA MEN ARE ACCUSED OF GROWING MARIJUANA IN WORTH TOWNSHIP, CENTRE COUNTY. STATE POLICE AND THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD WERE CONDUCTING AERIAL SWEEPS YESTERDAY WHEN THEY SPOTTED 50 YEAR OLD DONALD JONES AND 25 YEAR OLD RYAN HAMER TENDING TO POT PLANTS NEAR REESE HOLLOW ROAD. THE PLANTS WERE 4 TO 5 FEET TALL WITH A STREET VALUE OF 10-THOUSAND DOLLARS.

SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS MISSING

UP TO A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN ALTOONA DIDN’T GET THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS IN THE MAIL THIS MONTH. THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE TOLD WTAJ TV THE PROBLEM IS AT THE POST OFFICE...AND SOMEONE WHO WORKS INSIDE THE POST OFFICE SAYS THERE WERE 2 TRAYS FULL OF SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS ON MONDAY…AND TUESDAY THEY WERE GONE. SOME SENIOR CITIZENS WHO COMPLAINED WERE TOLD THE CHECKS WERE SENT BACK TO THE DISTRIBUTION CENTER. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY.